Home Is Where The Heart Is
by JessyeJesigirl
Summary: Brooke Davis is heartbroken and where better than to fix her broken heart, then Tree Hill. However getting over the boy she loved seems to be getting harder when she comes face to face with him.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One- Coming Home

Brooke looked around the square, familiar billboards flashing in front of her. Everything looked so messy, yet put together some how.

Brooke wished that she was like this. A beautiful square, lit up with golden lights, when really she was just an emotional mess, hidden by a slowly crumbling facade.

Closing the balcony doors, Brooke stepped inside the stuffy penthouse. Just as she was about to pour herself a glass of red wine , her phone rang. Normally at this time, she would have just let it ring to voicemail, but hearing the familiar ring-tone of 'The Wreckers' song she had yet to name, she decided to answer it.

"Hey P. Sawyer." Brooke picked up on the sixth ring.

"Hey Brooke." Peyton's tone was very dejected and Brooke felt her compassionate side kick in.

"What's wrong Peyt?"

"Well I-" There was a pause on the phone and Brooke found herself downing the rest of her glass.

"I quit my job today." Peyton blurted out.

"What? Why?" Peyton's life had been good she thought, she had thrown herself in to work after her breakup with Lucas but then so had she.

"Because, it just doesn't feel right, and I'm still an intern. A bloody intern." Peyton cried.

"Who get's paid minimum wage, lives in a shitty apartment and has never actually seen L.A apart from her journey to work." Peyton was distraught and Brooke made soothing sounds down the phone.

"Well, if that job is not what you want, I'm sure you'll find another, a bigger and better one."

"I don't want another job here Brooke. I want a job near my home."

Brooke found herself hesitating before she spoke the next words.

"And where is home Peyton?"

"Tree Hill." Came the reply after a moment's silence.

"Then go back to Tree Hill, find your dream job, be with your friends." Brooke encouraged the tortured artist.

"You think!"

"I know Peyt, if Tree Hill's where you're happiest then go back to your happy place."

"I do miss home, I miss our friends , I miss"

"Lucas Scott." Brooke finished with a sigh. She knew her best friend so well, too well."

"I do, I miss Lucas." Peyton admitted.

"But Peyton, you can't go back to Tree Hill for Lucas, not this time. He's moved on. You turned him down and he moved on." Brooke reminded the curly blonde.

"I know, but seriously isn't Lindsey his editor." Peyton's tone was full of disgust and contempt.

"Don't Peyton, don't try and wreak another one of Lucas's relationships. Not again. Promise me Peyton, if you go back. You go back for your self, not for him." Brooke demanded sharply.

"I promise."

"Good, now I think a certain best friend of mine needs to start packing and drive back to her home."

"Thank you Brooke."

"Your welcome, P Sawyer, know don't go breaking any more hearts."

"I won't."

"Good luck." Brooke was about to hang up but Peyton's next words stopped her.

"Brooke will you come with me?"

"To Tree Hill." Brooke was unsure.

"Yeah, I mean, it's not like either of us have seen our old friends in ages and I could use the support."

"I don't know Peyt, my life is here."

"But is it really Brooke, yes your company is there, but where is your family, your home." Peyton tried to persuade her friend.

"I'll get back to you Peyt," Brooke pressed the red button on her landline before Peyton could say anymore.

She stared out at the skyscrapers in front of her, wrapping her cardigan tightly around her body.

"Home," She whispered, trying to find any signs that New York was really her home.

She sat there for some time, as the chill of the air swept in through an open window, she let the breeze ruffle her immaculate hair.

Tree Hill had indeed been her home, once upon a time, but was it now. Now when her whole life seemed to be in New York, yet her best friends were in Tree Hill. Now when she sat in a cold empty apartment, listening to the traffic and late night shoppers, yet she longed for the warmth Karen's Cafe provided.

"Have you been sitting there all night?" A familiar red-head bounced in to the apartment, her keys jangling along side the many shopping bags.

"Rachel, you do know you have an early fitting appointment." Brooke looked up, watching as the red-head pottered around the kitchen, making two glasses of wine.

"Yes Boss, I do know, but who cares." Rachel grinned, letting the red-liquid spill down her throat.

"So why are you sitting here all alone." She questioned the brunette who sighed heavily as she drained her cup.

"No-reason." She replied, her attention fixed on pouring herself another glass.

"Woah, slut, how much have you had." Rachel noted the slight glass-eyed look her best friend had and carefully grabbed the bottle from her.

"You're no fun." Brooke pouted. "And I've only had three, that would have been my fourth."

"Yeah, well you have work with the lovely Bitchtoria tomorrow, so don't say I didn't tell you so." Rachel handed the bottle back to Brooke, who quickly downed the glass she poured.

"God, why did I even go in to business with that bitch." Brooke swung the glass around, annoyed about how self controlling her mother was.

"Because you thought she would be good with the finances, and other aspects of your company." Rachel informed her, having been with Brooke when she was debating over the decision.

"Peyton called." Brooke told her best friend who's eyebrows raised.

"Wow, skinny ass Sawyer called, for what?"

"She wants me to go back to Tree Hill with her." Brooke replied, dropping the glass back down as she recalled the conversation.

"And are you?"

"Do you think I should?"

"I 'm asking you."

"Well I'm asking you."

"Brooke just tell me what your going to do." Rachel cried out, annoyed at the banter.

"I'm going to go back to Tree Hill."

"I'm going back to Tree Hill."She repeated, shocked by how easy her answer had been.

"Thank God, you've been so heartbroken lately, ever since 'You Know Who' left and now I don't have to listen to your mono tone voice order me about, it's no fun that way." Rachel smiled, and gave Brooke a quick hug.

"Now go and pack up your lingerie, whore." Rachel smacked Brooke on the bum and sent her in to her bedroom.

"Do you mind if I crash on the couch, I've had one too many." Rachel shouted.

"Sure Slut, just don't get it dirty." Brooke called back, a smile on her face.

She was going back to Tree Hill.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Brooke stepped off her private jet, thanking the pilot as she walked off the run-way.

Entering the airport, she was instructed to show her passport and put her hand luggage through a metal detector.

After all the procedures had been dealt with, Brooke was allowed to walk through in to the departure section.

Searching blindly through the crowd, Brooke looked for a curly mop of blonde hair. Peyton had told her she would be meeting her here, having arrived late last night, after a long drive.

"Peyton, Peyt!" she called, looking through the masses of people for a distinctive figure.

"Brooke!" There came a shout behind her, and Brooke felt hands clutch her shoulders. Screaming loudly she turned, finding herself face to face with her best friend.

"Why'd ya scream Brooke?" Peyton asked her confused.

"You scared me silly." Brooke replied. Peyton didn't accept the answer but decided to drop the subject.

"Hey P Sawyer" Brooke leaned forward to give Peyton a hug.

"Welcome home B Davis." The stayed like that for a minute or two, leaving the busy surroundings of the airport.

As Brooke and Peyton stepped out in to the sunlight there was a sudden shout and before they could even blink, lights began flashing, camera's snapping.

"This is crazy!" Peyton shouted.

"I know!"

Whilst Peyton, tried struggling through the crowd of photographers, Brooke decided to pose, knowing there was no-way she was escaping any time soon.

After a half hour had passed, the crowd had thinned a bit, although there were still many more begging for autographs. Seeing a clear route to Peyton's car, Brooke gave hurried goodbyes, blowing one last air-kiss before passing through the gates to the short-term carpark.

"Are you finally ready to go?#" Peyton asked giving Brooke a grin.

"I think the worst has passed, but we better leave quickly."

"God Brooke how do you cope."

"It's all to do with smiling, being nice and never being rude." Brooke showed her a dazzling smile.

"Ok, so I've booked another night in hotel la Tree Hill, do you want to book a room, or have you got a more 'secret' location?"

"No, no it's quite alright, I already have a place to stay." Brooke informed her best friend, handing her one of the many suitcases she had stacked upon a large trolley as she slid in to the front seat.

"Oh, is Haley putting you up?" Peyton gave her a smile, "I haven't told anyone of my return yet."

"No, Haley doesn't know I'm here, I want to surprise her." Brooke let her sunglasses perch on the edge of her nose as she waited for Peyton to finish loading her bags in to the boot.

"Then who are you staying with...er Brooke, your bags don't all fit."

"You need to get a bigger car Peyt" Brooke pushed Peyton playfully as she climbed out of the car.

"The Comet's a classic." Peyton gave Brooke a nudge back.

"Now watch the pro." Brooke proceeded to sit on the last of her suitcases, cramming the contains together and with Peyton's help the girls closed the boot with a loud bang.

"And to answer your previous question, I bought a house." Brooke stated proudly, taking her seat again.

"You mean like an apartment." Peyton asked, as she started up the car.

"No I mean a house, like a proper house!" Brooke exclaimed excitedly.

"When did you find the time to buys a house?"

"Oh it was easy really, I just looked at all the pretty pictures online, payed the realtor and asked for the keys to be hidden." Brooke answered proud of herself.

"Brooke, houses cost money, and are you even going to be staying in Tree Hill long?"

"Maybe...I don't know, Bitchtoria will probably drag me back, but you can live there too, it's got a lot or bedrooms-" Brooke grinned naughtily at that before continuing "And you forget Peyton, I have a lot of money, I do own a multi-million company you know." Brooke said casually, giggling when Peyton grinned.

"I haven't forgotten, Brooke, it's hard not to remember when your face or logo is on every other billboard.

Brooke chuckled. "I always ask them to use a model, but they say I'm the face and they want this face to be known out there."

"Well that's very clear." Peyton motioned to the paparazzi that had stood by the airport behind them.

"Now, the address for our new home is 8, Maisonville road. Do you know it?"

"It's Tree Hill, there aren't many Maisonville roads, Brooke." Peyton laughed, before turning her attention back to the wheel.

"Wow, it's really big!" Were the only words that came out of Peyton's mouth once they reached their destination.

"Well, it's better than a crappy one bedroom apartment." Brooke reminded Peyton, of the old apartment that had passed through the hands of Nathan, Haley and herself

"That's true." Peyton agreed, walking up the driveway to the entrance.

"Do you like the door, I asked for it to be painted myself." Brooke pointed out the red door, that had been freshly redecorated.

"It's very nice." Peyton answered, baffled as to why Brooke had repainted a door.

"You wouldn't understand." Brooke shook her head, thinking back to memories of her and Lucas. The Girl Behind the Red Door. That's who she had once been. Not any more. For starters she wasn't in love with Lucas Scott, she had moved on a long time ago. Leaving the love mess for Peyton and Luke to sort out.

She had moved on, to a boy with a chestnut curls, a handsome face and an illegal grin.

Brooke shook herself as Peyton's call cut through the air.

She couldn't think about him, not now.

"What did you say." She called up to Peyton who now stood at the door.

"Where are the keys?" Peyton repeated.

"Oh, they're, they're, um, under the mat." Brooke directed Peyton's gaze to the brown mat, upon which she stood.

Peyton stepped off and Brooke retrieved the set of keys, having run up to the front door, shaking the memories off her.

"And Voila!" Brooke opened the door, flicking on the lights, from a switch nearby.

There was no hallway, instead a wide open space with walls a shade of cream, greeted Brooke an Peyton.

At the back, was a large set of double doors, a pecan brown colour.

To the right of the space the two girls had entered was a wide spiralling staircase, leading to several floors, on which were both bedrooms and bathrooms.

Another door to the left of the girls led to a kitchen and next to the front door sat a cupboard, which would could be used to hold coats, umbrella's and shoes.

"Isn't it beautiful!"

Peyton had to agree, the house although big felt homely and had a charming manner to it.

"It's very nice, now am I allowed to pick a bedroom."

"Of course, I would advise one on a lower floor, there are two flights of stairs to each floor you know. And if there are 4 floors in total and you can count then...well you do the math."

"Ok, where are you going?" Peyton asked her best friend who was opening the front door.

"To find someone to retrieve my heavy bags from the boot and carry them to my bedroom."

Brooke gave a cheeky grin, before slipping out of the front door, on the lookout for a nice young man to fulfil her duties.

"Thank you very much Connor." Brooke gave the young man a kiss on the cheek, and waved him a goodbye.

"You know your lucky your pretty, B Davis, all you have to do is flutter your eyelashes and they're hooked."

"It's all part of my alluring charm." Brooke gave a raspy chuckle.

"And who's that handsome young man." Peyton pointed to a photograph, Brooke had placed on her bedside table.

"No-one!" Brooke rushed to turn the photograph over.

"Then why was he near your bed, does someone have a crush." Peyton taunted.

"NO!" Brooke shouted, placing the picture in the drawer and locking it firmly.

"Alright, no need to get angry." Peyton held her hands up in defence.

"How about we go order some Chinese."

"That P Sawyer, sounds like a great idea." Brooke linked arms with her best friend leading her downstairs.

"And then tomorrow, we can pay a trip to Haley and Nathan." Peyton suggested

"I like your thinking?"

As he pair sat eating out of Chinese cartons, Brooke found herself unconsciously smiling, it had been a good idea to return to Tree Hill. Already she could feel her heart piecing back together.

Although this place had a few bad memories for her, New York had more and here in Tree Hill was where she felt at home.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Are you getting up this morning?" Haley asked her husband as she strode past the couch on the way to answer the front door.

"I can't move!" Nathan snapped back from his position on the sofa, next to a pile of beers.

"Well maybe if you did your physical therapy." Haley retorted as her son ran to her, wrapping his arms around her legs.

"It's not as if I'll be able to play basketball so there's no point."

"There is a point Nathan." Haley sighed and opened the door expecting to see her best friend.

But instead her eyes were met with two other sets of orbs.

"Brooke! Peyton!" Haley cried.

"Hey TutorGirl," Brooke gave the young mother one of her notorious dimpled smile.

"And who's this?" Peyton bent down to say hello to Jamie who had shied away when he hadn't recognised the two visitors.

"Oh this is Jamie, James Lucas Scott, say hi Jamie." Haley twisted her body to face her son.

"These are mummy and daddy's old friends from school, Aunt Peyton and Aunt Brooke who is also your godmother."

"Hey J-Luke." Brooke smiled down at the four year old who now re-appeared from around Haley's legs.

"I have a photo of you." He pointed to Brooke who's smile brightened.

"You do?"

"Yeah, mummy's says your my godmother like Uncle Lucas is my godfather, but I don't know what that means." Jamie shrugged cutely and Brooke mentally 'awed'

"That sweetie means me and your Uncle Lucas will love you forever and spoil you with awesome treats."

"Treats like Ice-cream, cause I like ice-cream."

"Yeah buddy because, I'll tell you a secret, I sorta like ice-cream too." Brooke stage-whispered and the little boy grinned and clasped her soft hand with his small one.

"I like you Aunt Brooke."

"I like you to buddy."

"So how's Nathan?" Brooke turned to Haley, Jamie still holding on to her hand.

"Yeah, I heard about the fight, it was in all of the newspapers." Peyton added, her curly waves bouncing in the wind.

Haley winced at the mention of the fight, "He's slowly coping, he's finally started talking again, but he's closing off from me, he's drinking beer again and his temper level has risen."

"Oh, Hales, I'm so sorry."

"Is Daddy better yet mummy?" Jamie asked his mum.

"Not yet sweetie."

"Oh it's just I wanted to show Aunt Brooke all his trophies but daddy doesn't like me looking at them."

"That's ok honey, I'll see them another time." Brooke bent down and lifted the small boy in to her arms, snuggling him close.

"So is it not a good time to come in then?" Peyton asked, cautious of the moody adult inside.

"No, no, he should be asleep and I want to catch up on all of the latest, we'll just stay out of the living room. Hey Jamie, do you want to go and play with your new train set?"

"Yeah, can Aunt Brooke come too."

"Not right now sweetie but I'm sure she'll come and see it in a little while."

"Ok, you promise." Jamie turned to face Brooke and held up his little pinkie.

"I promise." Brooke promised solemnly and placed him back down on the floor watching him run upstairs.

"Thanks," Haley told her. "He's cute, Hales really cute."

"Wow, I love your house." Brooke admired the interior as Haley led the two in to the kitchen.

"Thanks, so where are you guys staying or this just a fly-in visit."

"Actually I bought a house." Brooke announced proudly.

"What finally done running Davis?" There was a long slow clap from the living room and Brooke spun to se e Nathan sitting in his wheel-chair resting a beer can on his legs.

"Nathan hi!" Peyton spoke first and advanced forwards to hug the brunette but was stopped.

"Don't touch me, Sawyer." Peyton re-traced her steps and bit her lip as Haley interrupted the silence.

"Nathan as you can see I'm trying to talk to our friends here and if your not in the mood to be civil then you should go and wait outside."

"My pleasure." Nathan rolled out of the door Haley ran to open and spat noisily in their direction.

"Nice going Mrs James Scott." Peyton wolf-whistled.

"I'm sorry for that." Haley apologised but Brooke held up her hands.

"TutorMum we're family and we share problems and right now that big oaf is ours."

"So what's been going on in the world of Peyton Sawyer and Brooke Davis?"

"Well I quit my job." Peyton told Haley.

"What? Why? You love your job!"

"Yeah and it's been the same job for over four years Hales, I still live in the same crappy apartment with the same crappy hours and the same crappy boss, so I quit and I moved."

"So she's living with me!" Brooke wrapped her arm around her new house-mate.

"And you Brooke, how's life in the world of Davis."

"Pretty good." Brooke chirped, and sat herself upon the counter, legs dangling

"Pretty good, is that it, come on Brooke, you own a multi-million dollar company, you get to travel all over the world and boys are falling at your feet."

"I prefer boys to work hard and as I said it's pretty good."

"We'll go in to more detail later," Haley said as Nathan re-entered the room his face still set in a scowl.

Peyton followed Haley out of the room and up the stairs to find Jamie but Brooke remained.

"Hey hot-shot." Brooke shot him a dazzling smile.

"You're happiness is blinding me Brooke." He groaned and picked up another beer, gulping down the liquid fast.

Brooke watched him enviously, he had a way to drown the pain and although it wasn't a good method she wished that she could do the same.

"Ya want one?" Nathan noticed the longing look in his friends eyes and without hesitation chucked a can to her.

"Er, I don't, um thanks." Brooke muttered quietly and Nathan saluted.

Taking a sip, Brooke found herself unable to control herself and within two minutes the whole can was gone.

"Want another?" Brooke was about to reply but Jamie stopped her.

"Aunt Brooke, you're still here, do you want to come and see my train set, it's massive."

"Sure Buddy, I'll be right up." Brooke threw the can in the trash on her way up, and said a silent goodbye to Nathan.

"Hey, Brooke I hope Nathan wasn't too much trouble.

"We didn't really talk." Brooke answered and Haley smiled gratefully.

"That's good."

"So J-Luke, where's this humongous train set you want me to see."

"What's humungus mummy?"

"Big, Jamie, it means really big."

"Oh my train set isn't humungus, but it's really awesome."

Jamie led Brooke to a train set that involved a lot of stations and had two trains running on it.

"Wow, Jamie that's great." Brooke hugged the little boy who grinned delightedly.

"Aunt P likes it too don't you?"

"Yeah it's awesome Jamie." Peyton commented watching as Brooke interacted with her god-son.

"They're really good together." She pointed out to Haley.

"Yeah, well Brooke's always been a child at heart and she's so compassionate and loving that's why I chose her to be god-mother."

Brooke's conversation with Jamie was interrupted by her phone ringing loudly, checking the Id Brooke huffed loudly but stood up.

"I'm sorry JimmieJam but I've got to take this, I'll be right back." Jamie nodded as Brooke ruffled his hair and walked downstairs to answer the call.

"What Victoria?" Brooke barked loudly in to the phone.

"Where are you?"

"I'm in Tree Hill."

"That God awful place, what are you doing there."

"I've come home mother."

"Don't take that tone with me and don't call me that."

"Sorry Victoria," Brooke sighed as her mother ranted in to the phone.

"You're coming home, do you understand me."

"No, Victoria I'm not coming home."

"Think of the company, think of your image Brooke, those pictures of you coming out of the airport were disgusting, if people know your from there."

"What mother, they'll think I'm just a lowly town girl, well I don't care."

"I swear to god, Brooke if you do not return by tomorrow evening I will.

"What come get me, I'd like to see you try."

"This company is going to go down Brooke."

"No It won't I can run it from here."

"Run it! Hah. May I remind you off who lifted this company off the ground, who got it started, without me Brooke you return to what you've always been nothing."

"Well at least then I was a nothing with friends and a family."

"Family! You've never had a family."

"I may not have had any parents to love me but I have my friends and they are my family." Brooke shouted down the phone.

"They don't love you Brooke, they're just using you for your money."

"Don't use that line Victoria."

"I only speak truth Brooke, now you need to get your smarmy ass back here before you lose everything."

"Before I lose everything, or you do Victoria?"

"Just get back here!" Victoria screeched slamming down the phone, Brooke hung up and let out a giant sob.

"She still a bitch huh." The words so soothing and kind-hearted came from Nathan.

"Yeah still got a demon stuck up her ass." Brooke joked.

"Want another?" Nathan held up another beer can.

"Yeah, actually." Brooke took the can and drained It off it's substance.

"Can I have another?"

"Brooke! You never came back up is everything al-" Peyton paused as she took in the scene, Brooke and Nathan lay slumped on the couch drowning themselves in beer.

"Brooke! What are you doing honey?" Peyton made her way over to her drunk friend and lifted her off the couch with steady hands.

"Is Brooke ok?" Haley called over the side of the banister.

"Yeah, but I think it's best if we head home." Peyton replied.

"Oh, right now, is it alright if I don't come down and say good-bye Jamie just got in his bath." Haley shouted down.

"Yeah it's fine." _'It's great actually'_ Peyton thought, not wanting her friend to see Brooke like this.

"Are we going home?" Brooke asked in a sugary sweet voice.

"Yeah Davis, we're going home." With one last glare sent at Nathan Peyton headed towards the door, Brooke under her arm.

Driving home, Peyton found herself wondering why Brooke had been drinking, she had seemed so fine earlier, happy and bubbly.

What had caused her to get drunk, in the middle of the day and with Jamie and Haley around.

Whatever it was Peyton wanted to know, maybe it wasn't just her that needed to come home?


	4. Hey Guys

Hey guys I know I haven't uploaded in months and I'm sooooo sorry.

My life has been kinda hectic lately with exams and friendships and meltdowns and I'm incredibly sorry, but I promise uploads are coming very soon

Definitely before December 25th, So that's my Christmas present to you guys.

Now if you would like to my creative juices flowing and me love you guys even more I would love it if my favourite readers would check out a few videos I've uploaded of myself singing covers and original songs. I would literally love you guys to infinity and beyond if you would watch even one.

So my YouTube channel is TheJessicaImogen and I'll post the link on my profile, and I promise uploads soon. I'm incredibly sorry for making you wait for so long.


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